Education

Iowans want decent-paying jobs, affordable health care and the chance to lead a good life. In recent years, however, we’ve seen stagnant wages, rising health care costs and more Iowans living paycheck to paycheck. Iowans […]

It’s disappointing that legislative Republicans are even undercutting the Governor’s level of education spending. Senate Democrats will support a robust education funding plan that will make up for inflationary losses over the past two years and provide a modest increase as well. We believe that a 3 percent increase is what Iowa schools, educators and students deserve.

This session, we heard from thousands of Iowans who work hard but struggle to get by. They just want a decent-paying job and the chance to lead a happy, healthy life. Our job in the Legislature is to listen and work to improve the lives of everyday Iowans.

Democratic lawmakers outlined their new plan today called Putting Iowans First. The plan was developed by lawmakers to keep the 2018 session focused on improving the lives of everyday Iowans with better-paying jobs, revitalized small towns and rural communities, the best education in the country and a great quality of life.

Iowa’s outstanding health insurance for children is at risk due to the Congressional failure to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Without federal action, the state of Iowa faces millions more in costs even though 44,000 fewer children would be insured.

Democratic State Senators Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids and Pam Jochum of Dubuque will be touring job training programs and meeting with students at Northeast Iowa Community College from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, November 1, at the Peosta campus.

“Today’s updated revenue estimates are more evidence that Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans are continuing to break those promises to Iowans. That’s bad, bad news for Iowa families and their communities, especially those living in smaller towns and rural ares.”

“The opportunities at Western Iowa Tech are key to building a stronger Iowa economy, one with more higher skilled, higher paying jobs,” said Senator Hogg. “Iowa’s shortage of skilled workers can be fixed by making Western Iowa Tech’s opportunities more available and more affordable for more Iowans.”

“Yesterday Governor Kim Reynolds made the astoundingly false claim that she has managed the state budget ‘without cuts to education.’ That’s a real whopper! The truth is that the mid-year budget cuts (Senate File 130) sliced a total of $31.5 million from education. The $4.5 million cut from the Iowa Department of Education was just the beginning.”